i've only been in London 5 days and the climatic disparity from my aussie hometown of the sunshine coast (in summer nonetheless), and London in winter (plus going out on my first night), has resulted in my asthma flaring up and I am certain I have a chest infection. I have had asthma since a child (am now 2, and brought $300AUD worth of asthma medication with me because I was aware of the strain the climate and air quality would have on my chest.

I first started showing a downhill trend 3 days ago, with symptoms including coughing up phlegm (green of course), tightness in chest, and coughing. At that stage I upped the dosage of my preventative (Symbicort turbohaler), to 2 in the morning and 2 at night, started a course of cephaxalin antibiotics (3 a day), started a 5 day course of 25mg prednisone (1 a day) and increased my ventolin usage, however yesterday my chest started hurting when breathing outside and this morning (despite a warm night in under blankets), I have a really gravelly wheeze (both breathing in and out)....

SO THE QUESTION IS: Should i seek medical attention now? Or wait it out 2 more days to see if the meds fix it all up? I thought I might have been getting better yesterday, but the wheeze is not a good development.

Comments please from fellow asthmatics/doctors/anyone??-

PS - I've ben hospitalised with asthma b4 but last time was 4 years ago and i lost 22kg since then and my health has been heaps better up till now

Asthma is a condition when the bronchials become constricted causing wheezing, labored breathing, and sometimes an inability to catch one's breath. For someone experiencing and asthmatic attack, we can equate it to trying to breathe through a straw while holding one's nose, not an easy thing to do.
There can be two primary causes that can trigger an attack, one being stress, which causes the constriction of the muscle linings of the bronchial tubes. The other is the result of swelling and congestion, often brought on by an allergic reaction.

Lobelia and Black Cohosh are two herbs that act as very powerful bronchial dilators to relax and open the air passages during an acute asthma attack.
Lobelia Essence may be taken in doses of 30 drops every 2-3 minutes until the attack subsides. It may induce vomiting is some cases but the child will often throw up a lot of mucus and the attack will immediately cease. Lobelia can also be rubbed on the chest.

To prevent bronchial constriction, Magnesium Tablets can be taken on a regular basis. Start dosage at 200 mg a day working up to bowel tolerance, cutting back on dosage if diarrhea occurs.

People with asthma are often suffering from digestion problems and food allergies. Keeping the colon clean may be helpful as there is a strong connection between respiratory and digestive membranes. Everybody's Fiber, taken 1 scoop twice daily, will clean the colon, pull toxins out, and add fiber. It can be taken with water or mixed with applesauce.
Children with a history of allergic reactions such as itchy ears, watery eyes, and hay fever may be helped by supplements that reduce allergic reaction.

HistaBlock 1-2 capsules with a meal twice a day, may reduce allergic reaction to hay fever and food allergies.
EW 1-2 capsules three to four times a day, may relieve earaches, itchy red eyes, and itchy nose with watery sinus drainage.

ALJ is one of the best herbal decongestant combination to clear the nose of mucus, for acute problems take 2-4 capsule every 2-4 hours. If the child cannot swallow capsules, try Liquid ALJ using 1 Â½ teaspoons every 2-4 hours.

Marshmallow and Fenugreek is an excellent herbal expectorant combination which loosens the phlegm to make the cough more productive, clearing the lungs of mucus, thus reducing the risk of infection.